Tile tie



Sept. 18, 1934. H. A. TAYLOR, sR

TILE TIE Filed March 50, 1933 Jf/ga gmmtoq,

abhor/nag Patented Sept. 18, 1934 Y jITILE'rIEfQ' p J Henry Armor, Six, Upland, c nt. i AppIicationMarchBi), 193s, SerialNo. 6 3,580

4 Claims. (01. -s o)- will not only look the succeedingrows of tiles to gether but will also so engage and hold one tile relative to another that in theevent one tile be split, the-tie will prevent movement of any: of the split portions of the tile; thereby holding the tile against dropping on" of the roof; 1 I

A further object of this invention is to provide a tie construction which can be mounted on a tile without the use of tools and which is relatively inexpensive but at the same time strong enough to hold the lower end of a tile onto the upper end of apreceding tile. v

' The above and various other objects and ad: vantages of this invention will in part be described and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the present preferredembodiment, the same being illustrated in the ac companying drawing, wherein:-+ 1 "Figure 1 is a detail plan'view'of a series of tiles lockedt'ogether by a tie constructed according to the-embodiment of this invention.

j'igure'z is an enlarged sectional view taken onthe line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view from thetile. w I n Figure-4 is a similar view-of a modified form of the tie.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the views, the numeral 10 designates a tile of conventional construction which has a second or upper tile 11 engaged with the upper end thereof, the lower end of the upper tile 11 overlapping the upper end of the tile 10. These tiles 10 and 11 are provided with an aperture adjacent the upper end thereof and in substantially the center through which a nail or securing member 13 is adapted to pass in order to secure the tiles to the roof.

This tile construction, as shown by the tiles 10 and 11 and including the manner of securing the tiles to the roof by means of the nails or securing members 13 is conventional tile roof structure. However, where tiles are secured to the roof by a single nail or a plurality of securing members adjacent the upper end of each tile, during high of the tie removed winds the air enters beneath the lower endofthe tiles and has a tendency to loosen these tilesfrom the roof in addition to placing excessive pressure on the nails) or securing members 13'so as to, not onlyloosen the entire tile body from'the roof but also, in the event the-tile does not readily loosen, to cause the tile to split either longitudi: nally or transversely and the pieces which are broken ofi frequently fall and-causedamage.

In order to prevent the loss of the broken tile portions and in order to resiliently lock the lower ends of succeeding tiles to the-upper ends of preceding tiles, I have provided a tie structure in eluding a substantially U+shapedbody member 12, which is constructed of wire ofdesired composition preferablya wire which willnot unduly corrode under the action of the-weather The body 12 has secured to each parallel arm thereof lateral extensions 14.

Each extension 14 has secured thereto a substantially U-shaped' member, generally desig nated as. 15, which has one long leg 16- integral with the extension 14, aibight portionl'lextendsing in a directionparallel with the extensionl and a short leg 18 is integral with the extension 17, and is parallel with the longleg 16. This U- shaped member 'comprises a lockingmeans for the lowerend of. the succeeding tile 11- and is also a supporting means for this tile so vas to, support the'upper tile from the-lower tilein the eventthe nail 13 becomes loosened'or the tile is broken about the nail or any other part thereof. 1 "In Figure 3, the body member 12 is constructed withthe bight thereof round, wherea;s-' in Figure 4; the. securing member is'cQnstruc dWit the body member 12a having the bight thereof positioned at right angles to the parallel legs of the body member. This construction shown in Figure 4 is otherwise similar to the construction shown in Figure 3 with the lateral extensions 14a integral with the parallel legs of the body 12a and the securing and supporting members 15a integral with the extensions 14a.

In the use of this device, the lower tile or series of tiles 10 are adapted to initially receive the tie hereinbefore described before the nail or securing member 13 is engaged with the roof. The bight of the body member 12 and the bight of the body member 12a is adapted to be positioned inwardly of the nail or securing member 13 so that when this nail 13 is driven into the roof, the tie is thereby locked onto the tile. ,The body 12 of the tie is positioned within the interior of the tile and the extensions 14 are adapted to engage the upper end of the tile with the supporting member 15 disposed on the outer surface of the tile 10. Preferably, the space or distance between the parallel legs of the body member 12 and the long legs 16 is such as to place the tie under 5 tension slightly distorting the tie as shown in Figure 2 so that the tie will not readily move 1ongitudinally of the tile.

When the lower row of tiles has been mounted on the roof, the succeeding row of tiles 11 can then be placed over the upper ends of the lower tiles 10 with the lower ends of the tiles 11 engaging the bight 17 of the supporting member and with the short extension 18 positioned on the outer surface of the upper tile 11. The long leg 16 will, of course, be positioned between the confronting faces of the two tiles 10 and lland will thereby provide a small airspace between these two tiles. As each series of tiles is placed on the roof, the tie member is first engaged with the upper end of each tile so that when the nail 13 is driven into the roof, the tie member will be held against removal.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the tie construction herein disclosed will yieldably lock an upper series of tiles to a lower series of tiles and that this locking means will be of such a character that neither series of tiles will be placed under an undue strain on account of the tie of locking means, thereby preventing the initial cracking of the tiles under the strain of the tie.

As will be noted from the drawing, in the event the upper tile becomes cracked either transversely or longitudinally, the broken portions of the tile will be held against dropping off of the roof by means of the supporting members 15 which engage the succeeding or upper tile adjacent each side thereof.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:-

- 1. A hollow tile roof construction, comprising hollow tile members mounted in overlapping position and means for securing succeeding tile members to preceding tile members, said securing means comprising a resilient member engaging within the upper portion of a preceding tile member, clamping means carried by each side of the resilient member and engaging the upper edge of said preceding tile member, and supporting means carried by each clamping means engaging the lower edge of a succeeding tile in overlapping relation to said preceding tile member.

2. A hollow tile roof construction, comprising hollow tile members mounted in overlapping posi-- tion and means for securing succeeding tile members to preceding tile members, said securing means comprising a substantially U-shaped resilient. member engaging within the upper portion of a preceding tile member, clamping means carried by each free leg of the U-shaped memher and engaging the upper edge of said preceding tile member and supporting means carried by each clamping means below the upper edge of the preceding tile member and engaging the lower edge of a succeeding tile member for supporting said succeeding tile member in overlapping relation to said preceding tile member.

3. A hollow tile roof construction, comprising hollow tile members mounted in overlapping position and means for securing succeeding tile members to preceding tile members, said securing means comprising a U-shaped resilient member engaging within the upper portion of a preceding tile member with the bight of the resilient member disposed below the upper edge of the preceding tile member, clamping means carried by each free leg of the U-shaped member and yieldably engaging the upper edge of the preceding tile member, and succeeding tile supporting means carried by said clamping means and engaging the lower edge of a succeeding tile member, said supporting means being disposed exteriorly of the preceding tile member and having a portion thereof disposed interiorly of the succeeding tile member.

4. A hollow tile roof construction, comprising hollow tile members mounted in overlapping position and means for securing succeeding tile members to preceding tile members, said securing means comprising a resilient member of substantially U-shaped configuration disposed with the bight thereof inwardly of the upper edge of the preceding tile member, U-shaped clamping means carried by each free leg of the first U-shaped member and disposed in inverted relation with respect to said first U-shaped member and substantially U-shaped succeeding tile supporting means carried by said second U-shaped clamping members and engaging the lower edge of a succeeding tile for supporting said succeeding tile in overlapping relation to said preceding tile.

HENRY A. TAYLOR, SR. 

